It is not unusual for individuals to experience discomfort when rubbing or chafing occurs between the arm and side of the body in the armpit area as well as heavy inner thighs of both legs in the crotch. Such discomfort or irritation may be enhanced at higher temperatures in hot climates and particularly for obese individuals.
Moreover, the greater the degree of obesity the more likelihood there is that air will not freely pass particularly in the armpit and crotch areas, resulting in the accumulation of perspiration and body odours.
There have been some attempts in the prior art to minimize chafing between adjacent rubbing parts. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,429,767 teaches a chafe-eliminator member which is cut from a sheet of fabric to form a triangular main body portion having the apex outermost with a substantially horizontal base lowermost.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 2,305,736 relates to an invention which aims to provide an improved crotch piece cut and shaped from underwear fabric adapted to be removably attached to a girdle or light body garment and having the combined function of converting the girdle or garment into a panty girdle and providing the wearer with an anti-chafe garment.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,854 relates to a panty hose garment having panels which prevent the skin of the wearer from coming through the knitted fabric and shields the skin of each inner thigh of the wearer from rubbing against the knitted leg portion of the other leg of the garment or against the skin of the other thigh of the wearer.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 1,605,323 relates to an abdominal supporter.
These and other prior art devices present relatively complicated structures.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved anti-chafing device for individuals.
It is a particular object of this invention to provide a chafing shield for obese individuals.
It is an aspect of the invention to provide a chafing shield for obese individuals comprising:
a plurality of tubular body portions curved along the length thereof so as to present crescent shaped tubular body portions, each said crescent shaped tubular body portion defining a convex circumferential edge and a concave circumferential edge said tubular body portions disposed circumferentially adjacent one another, with said convex circumferential edge of said tubular body portions facing said concave circumferential edge of said adjacent tubular body portion said tubular body portions having air holes therethrough; a plurality of webbed portions connecting said plurality of tubular body portions, respectively; and means for fastening said chafing shield between rubbing parts of said individual so as to minimize chafing between said parts and permit passage of air through said air holes.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a device to minimize chafing comprising a deformable cushion member having holes therethrough, said cushion member comprising a plurality of tubular portions curved along the length thereof so as to present crescent shaped tubular portions, said tubular portions spaced from one another and circumferentially joined by webbed portions, wherein said plurality of tubular portions have different lengths, and wherein said webbed portions are adapted to be cut so as to adjust the size of said shield for different individuals.
Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of minimizing chafing between rubbing parts of an individual with a deformable cushion member having a plurality of tubular portions curved along the length thereof so as to present crescent shaped tubular portions; said tubular portions having different lenghts and joined by webbed portions, comprising the steps of cutting said webbed portions so as to adjust the size of said shield for said individual; placing said shield between rubbing parts of said individual; fastening said shield to said individual by attaching fastening means to said shield.